Magnitude 4.0 Earthquake Rattles Oklahoma

NewsOn6.com

JONES, OK -- An earthquake struck near the central Oklahoma town of Jones Friday morning, rattling parts of the whole state, including Green Country.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the 4.0 earthquake struck at 9:18 a.m. Jones is located about 17 miles northeast of Oklahoma City. 

Employees at the National Weather Service office in Tulsa say they felt the quake. A News On 6 viewer in Sapulpa reported feeling the quake as well.

Margaret Morhart of Tulsa wrote, "While listening to the news this morning about the quake in Haiti, I swear I felt a small tremor at my home located at 36th and Florence in Tulsa. Very strange! Was surprised to learn later in the local news that another quake had hit in Jones around the same time I felt it at my house. Maybe I'm not so crazy after all!!"

Sandra Geurin wrote, "Our daughter, son-in-law, and grandson live in Midwest City. Our son-in-law works at Tinker and he said their building really shook there. Our daughter is ill (Friday) and was asleep on the couch and said it literally moved the couch a few inches out from the wall. Really scared her."

"I was sitting in my office when I heard a ‘thud' and felt a shake in the floor. I thought it was a big truck that had gone by on Yale, or that someone had dropped something really heavy on the 2nd floor," said Don Davis who works at 71st and Yale in Tulsa.

Suzie Reynolds from Broken Arrow said, "I was laying in bed with my 6-year-old daughter and she sat up and said 'What is that??  It sounds like someone is tapping on our window.'  It was our window panes shaking!!"

"I work at Roosevelt Elementary. And I was sitting at my desk and I felt my chair moving around and thought nothing.  Until I read on the Internet that we had the after effects of the earthquake.  I was amazed.  I told my co-workers and they laughed until they looked on NewsOn6.com," said Tammy Starks.

"I felt it this morning while I was lying in bed, twice! It felt like my whole apartment shifted," said Ashley Copelin at 61st and Garnett in Tulsa.

"The monitor on my desk moved and even the aftershock was felt," said Sherry Egermeier at 21st and Boulder, Tulsa.

"I live on the 3rd floor in an apartment and my couch literally was shaking," said Bixby resident Heather Jolley.

"I felt the earthquake at Tinker Air Force Base," said Raniesha Franklin.

"It rumbled through the house and shook the refrigerator quite hard.  No damage though.  Then about 20 minutes later another one came through and it shook my China cabinet but fortunately again no damage," said Gayle Ferioli of Choctaw. 

The epicenter of the quake was 3.1 miles underground about three miles outside of Jones.

Seismologist Austin Holland of the Oklahoma Geological Survey said the quake was felt in Midwest City, Jones and surrounding areas but no damage or injuries have been reported.

"I live in Jenks and was working at my desk when it started shaking and I'm thinking is this and earthquake? Yep earthquake," said Eric Jenkins in Jenks.

This is the third earthquake in Oklahoma this week.  Thursday morning, an 2.8 earthquake was recorded in Logan County and on Monday, a 3.3 earthquake struck near Jones.

1/14/2010 Related story: Earthquake Recorded In Logan County Thursday Morning

"The whole house started shaking and then it quit and I thought someone had run into the house with their car," said Tina Dowty, Midwest City.

"I've never felt one of the Oklahoma earthquakes before, and after the one in Haiti, it just, it does rattle the nerves," said Sherrie Ferguson, Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

Viewer Tiffany Hurley wrote, "I thought someone was banging on my window!"

Tim Johnson in Midtown Tulsa said, "I felt a small tremor."

Scott Hight in Tiawah said , "I felt the quake, it rattled my windows, my wife thought there might have been an explosion at a nearby plant."

Eric Jenkins said "My desk starting shaking."

Ashley Copelin e-mailed "Who would have thought we would experience an earthquake in Tulsa?"